Chandigarh, February 28
The upcoming parliamentary and Assembly elections have forced Finance Minister Harmohinder Singh Chattha to come up with a Budget without new taxes. Successive tax-free Budgets have led to a sharp hike in revenue deficit, which has has increased from Rs 4,438.19 crore in 2012-13 to Rs 5,612.92 crore this fiscal.

Haryana was targeting better fiscal management and bringing down revenue deficit to Rs 2,443.23 crore by March, 2014. Because of sops ahead of polls and unwillingness to impose new taxes, revenue deficit will continue to be high. It is expected to be Rs 5,012.57 crore next fiscal.

This year, in the run-up to the polls, Haryana has announced liberal sops pertaining to welfare of weaker sections, increase in old-age pension, widow pension and handicapped person allowance.

Playing to the gallery, the government has tried to woo ex-servicemen with reduction in VAT on goods purchased in canteens. Several categories of government employees have been granted interim relief of Rs 2,000 per month and policemen having been granted risk allowance of Rs 5,000 per month.

The sops will put an additional burden of Rs 3,000 crore on the exchequer. Since these sops have been implemented frm January 1, the state will spend around Rs 750 crore on additional grants to various segments.

Haryana was targeting revenue balance or become a revenue-surplus state by the end of 2011-12. It has failed to do so till date. Finance Minister Chattha put the blame on the Centre for revenue deficit going up.

He said other than the economic slowdown, the Centre failed to release Haryana’s share of Central Sales Tax amounting to Rs 7,000 crore. Mining operations have remained non-operational, depriving the state of a major source of income.

The state’s own tax revenue has been lower than estimates this fiscal. Budget estimates for own tax revenue in 2013-14 was Rs 32,268.24 crore, but total revenue generation was Rs 30,234.52 crore. For the next fiscal, the state is targeting its own tax revenue to go up to Rs 34,384.71 crore, a jump of Rs 4,150.19 crore.

There is no roadmap in the Budget to see the revenue go up. The government is looking at buoyancy in taxes and better tax compliance by plugging loopholes to achieve growth in revenue.

Chandigarh, February 28
After presenting his third Budget today, Finance Minister Harmohinder Singh Chattha was pleased with his team's financial management even as he credited improved macro indicators to Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda's policies. Here are excerpts of his interview.

The Budget was devoid of announcements as the Chief Minister had announced several sops in his reply on the Governor's Address. What is the high point of the Budget?

We have brought a tax-free, development-oriented Budget in which emphasis has been given to the social sector. Our biggest achievement is that Haryana is the only state to have 35.35% increase in Plan outlay. This is directly linked to pace of development. If this is not big enough, nothing can be bigger.

The Budget has moved from being a surplus Budget to a deficit Budget in nine years. Why?

Contrary to this, ours is a zero-deficit Budget, if not a surplus Budget. The Centre owes us Rs 7,000 crore. If we take that into account, we are surplus by nearly Rs 2,000 crore. Despite figures reflecting a deficit Budget, ours is a surplus Budget.

There is a huge burden of populist announcements made at the Gohana rally, besides other announcements being made everyday. Where will the finances come from?

Ours is a resilient economy with the power to absorb any announcement. Tax collections have gone up and other income-generation measures are working well. At 17.91 per cent, our debt burden in 2013-14 is within the permissible limit of 22.5 per cent.

Opposition parties have termed the Budget as lacklustre. What is your response?

Haryana is growing at 2 per cent more than the national average. We continue to have the highest per capita income among big states. This increased from 1.23 lakh in 2012-13 to 1.37 lakh in 2013-14. We have a robust economy and are getting investment, though less than in previous years. This has happened despite inflation, recession and a slowdown. The Opposition cannot appreciate it because its leaders have poor understanding of the subject.

Chandigarh, February 28
Terming the Budget as an achievement of sorts given the slowdown that has hit all economies, Finance Minister Harmohinder Singh Chattha attributed it to good fiscal management and progressive policies of the Hooda government.

Addressing a press conference, Chattha, accompanied by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Randeep Singh Surjewala and Aftab ahmed, said the expenditure was on an upward spiral because the government was commited to spending on its people and ushering in development.

Giving details about the Budget on behalf of Chattha, Randeep Singh Surjewala said the planned budget this year was Rs 5,539 crore higher as compared to last year’s budget of Rs 24,182 crore.

"Despite economic slowdown, the State Gross Domestic Product (SGDP) remained 6.9 per cent against the national rate of 4.9 per cent," he said.

He said the per capita income at current prices reflected an increase of 12.18 per cent. "In 2013-14, financial resources of Rs 51,649 crore were mobilised whereas for 2014-15, these were estimated at Rs. 59,173 crore. The total revenue collection is expected to increase by 14.57 per cent," he maintained.

Surjewala stated that the total planned expenditure on account of development in 2014-15 was estimated at Rs 59,541.3 crore as compared to Rs 53,548 crore last year . Similarly, the tax revenue collection was pegged at Rs 34,384 crore as compared to Rs 30,234 crore last year.

Surjewala said about Rs 2,560 crore had been set aside for old age allowance, widow and disabled pension, Rs 759 crore more than that last year. Similarly, a provision of Rs. 4,500 crore had been made for subsidy to farmers.

Chandigarh, February 28
The INLD and the BJP today staged a walkout in protest against major policy announcements by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda outside the Vidhan Sabh at a time when the Haryana Assembly was in session.

As the House assembled for Question Hour during the ongoing Budget session, Anil Vij(BJP) and Ashok Arora (INLD) termed the announcements by Hooda outside the House as an "insult" to the elected representatives. "The Budget loses its importance when the announcements were made outside the House," Vij alleged.

Joining Vij, Arora alleged that it was unprecedented that the Chief Minister had chosen to make announcements outside the House. At this Speaker Kuldeep Sharma ruled that Question Hour could not be allowed to be disrupted following which the opposition members took their seats.

However, once Question Hour was over,the Opposition raised the same issues. Hooda said he had made these announcements in his reply to the Governor's Address. At this, the Opposition staged a walkout even as HS Chattha started reading his Budget speech. However, the Opposition members came back to the House after some time.

Chandigarh, February 28
The Haryana Government has decided to set up a one stop crisis centres (OSCC) to provide treatment and other facilities to women victims of domestic violence.

Haryana Women and Child Development Minister Geeta Bhukkal gave this information while replying to a question in the Vidhan Sabha here today.

She said the government had decided to set up such Centres at Faridabad and Gurgaon in the first phase.

Police schools: In Haryana, seven Police Public Schools are being run in the Police Lines. Such schools would soon be opened at the Police Lines in Rewari, Panchkula, Yamunanagar and Jind, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda gave this information in reply to a query.

Sugar mills: The state government has decided to modernise and upgrade Karnal and Panipat cooperative sugar mills at a cost of Rs 256 crore, Cooperation Minister Satpal Sangwan said.

Rohtak, February 28
Local leaders and workers of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have alleged that their leadership had not exercised good discretion in selecting candidates for the Lok Sabha elections.

Party members even held demonstrations and burnt posters to register their protest against selection of the candidates.

“Arvind Kejriwal says he is determined to wipe out dynasty politics, but he has become the originator of friendly politics, which is clear from the selection of party nominees for the LS elections,” said Sushil Panwar, who has been closely associated with the party at the grassroots level.

Another AAP member Bimla also decried the “wrong” selection of LS candidates and maintained that the party belonged to the “aam aadmi” only in name.

They were among several AAP workers opposing the candidature of Naveen Jaihind for Rohtak LS seat.

AAP workers from Sonepat are also reported to be up in arms against the candidature of Jai Singh. Similar sentiments are being reported from Hisar from where former IAS officer YS Khyalia has been fielded and Kurukshetra.

In Gurgaon, AAP leader Yogendra Yadav had to face opposition from local leaders and industrial workers.

Expressing resentment, Kuldeep Jhanghu, general secretary of the Maruti Udyog Kamagar Union, said despite repeated requests by thousands of industrial workers from Gurgaon, Manesar, Dharuheda and Bawar districts, the party went ahead in nominating Yadav from Gurgaon.

Jhangu, who had applied for the party ticket, has threatened withdraw support from the party.

"We have till date supported AAP. But it seems that it is time to reconsider our decision. Yadav's nomination has changed our notions about the principles of the party," he added.

Bhiwani, February 28
The police yesterday arrested one of the prime accused in the Tosham BJP leader Rakesh Malik murder case. It has been found out that an old enmity was the motive behind the crime. The police have been trying to nab the other accused involved in the case.

The accused, Dalbir Singh, a resident of Tosham, has business interests in the mining and stone crushing industry. Sources said he had a dispute with Malik and he had hatched a conspiracy to eliminate him. The police said there was no political angle involved in the incident. — TNS

Chandigarh, February 28
The government today issued transferred eight IAS officers. Dhanpat Singh, Principal Secretary, Technical Education, has been given additional charge as nodal officer for monitoring the Chief Minister’s announcements relieving TC Gupta.

Anil Malik, Secretary, Excise and Taxation, has been given additional charge as MD, Haryana Medical Services Corporation. Rajiv Ranjan, Special Secretary, Finance Department, has been posted as Commissioner, Hisar Division, and Administrator, HUDA. relieving Chander Prakash. Nitin Kumar Yadav, Special Secretary, Development and Panchayat Department, has been given additional charge as Special Secretary, Finance and Environment.

Ashok Sangwan, Special Secretary, Industries and Commerce and Mines and Geology,has been given additional charge as Director, Supplies and Disposal, and MD, HARTRON, during Vivek Atray's training period. J Ganeshan, Deputy Commissioner, Sirsa, and Anshaj Singh, Secretary, Haryana Board of School Education, will swap their places of posting. Priyanka Soni, Assistant Commissioner (under training), Kurukshetra, has been posted as Assistant Commissioner (under training), Yamunanagar. — TNS

Sonepat, February 28
Standing crop worth lakhs of rupees was damaged in hailstorm and thundershower that lashed several parts of the district today.

Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has directed the administration to conduct special girdawari of the damage. An official spokesman said Deputy Commissioners of Mohindragarh, Rohtak and Sonepat districts have been ordered to assess the damage.

Reports said crops in over 30 villages, including Giwana, Jasrana, Bilbilan, Anwali, Rewara, Bhainswal Kalan, Guhna, Chitana, Juan, Nakloi, Bidhlan, Juan Karewari, Fazilpur, Raipur, Biswan Meel, Mehlana, Badwasni, Garhi Brahmanan, had suffered extensive damage.

The hailstorm hampered traffic movement.

New Delhi, February 28
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved six-laning of the eastern peripheral expressway of a national highway in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. The cost is estimated to be Rs 6284.2 crore.

Approval was granted at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today. It would free Delhi roads from the huge volume of trucks and buses on their way to other destinations and reduce pollution.

The stretch of the expressway is in Sonepat, Faridabad and Palwal districts in Haryana and Baghpat, Gautam Budh Nagar and Ghaziabad districts in Uttar Pradesh. — TNS

Chandigarh, February 28
IPS officer Sanjay Bhatia’s plea against the termination of his services has failed to find favour with the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

After appointment, Bhatia was allocated to Haryana . He joined in August, 1986. But in October same year, an FIR was registered against him on the ground that he belonged to the general category as he was Rajput Bhatia by caste. But he submitted a certificate claiming to be a Scheduled Caste, belonging tothe ‘Adi-dharmi’ category.

On the basis of the FIR, criminal proceedings were initiated against Bhatia, which led to his conviction by the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate on July 6, 2005, for cheating . He was sentenced to simple imprisonment for 100 days and a fine of Rs 1, 00,000 . The appeal against the conviction is pending before the Delhi High Court.

Since his induction was based on fraudulent facts leading to conviction, Bhatia was issued a show-cause notice asking him to explain why the penalty of dismissal from service should not be imposed on him. After considering the reply, the order of dismissal from service was passed.

An original application was then filed by Bhatia before the Central Administrative Tribunal at Chandigarh against the order of dismissal from service dated October 5, 2010. The Tribunal on October 9, 2013, dismissed his original application Aggrieved, Bhatia then moved the High Court.

Taking up the matter, the Division Bench of Justice Hemant Gupta and Justice Surinder Gupta asserted: “The disciplinary authority is competent to impose punishment, if any penalty is imposed upon a member of the service which led to his conviction on the criminal charge. The disciplinary authority in the case of the petitioner is the Centre…. The Centre is the competent authority…. We do not find any merit in the present writ petition. Dismissed”.

Ambala, February 28
Fast-track court special judge Vimlesh Tanwar awarded life term to three persons, including a woman, for murdering the wife of an Army man here today.

Unita, alias Sapna, her brother Rajpal and Rajan were awarded life term and Unita's husband Karamveer was awarded three-year imprisonment. Rakesh and Harbhajan were acquitted.

Baljinder Kaur's body was found in the toilet of her residence at Naraingarh in December, 2012. She was staying there with her minor son. She was stabbed with a sharp-edged weapon. Following investigation, the police had arrested six persons.

The police had recovered jewellery worth Rs 95,000, taken after killing Baljinder, from a jeweller in Ludhiana. Jeweller Pritam Singh had appeared as witness.

The deceased's minor son had been produced as a witness as well. He had stated that Unita used to enquire from him about his mother and other family members.

The police had stated that Unita came to Baljinder's residence when she was alone, murdered Baljinder with the help of other accused and took away her jewellery and other valuables. — OC

Faridabad, February 28
The police have arrested a man for allegedly raping his 14-year-old daughter.

In a complaint lodged with the Palla police last evening, the victim alleged that her father Subhash, an employee of a private company, had raped her on Wednesday night. Sources said the accused had been sexually exploiting her for the past two years. The police arrested Subhash after registering a case against him. — TNS

Sonepat, February 28
A 20-year-old woman of Pinana village was found murdered near the cremation ground of the village today.

Villagers saw the body and informed the panchayat and the police.

The police sent the body to the civil hospital. Later, the body was handed over to the family members after the postmortem.